Windshield cleaner



@da E941., v l E. c. HQRTQN E1n-VAL W INDSHIELD CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled sept. 5o, 1958 Y S m w N 0 R. *Two/u. wwvo. NCUL T Inn vA .10.

particularly` to return.

by embodiment shown a flexiblechain l5 engaging a Patented Oct. 7, 1941lUNITED STAT WINDsHTELD lCLEANER r Erwin C. Horton, Hamburg, and RaymonRousseau, Buffalo, N. Y., assignors to Trico Products Corporation,Bualo, N. Y.

Appneanon september 30, 193s, serial No. aazscY (o1, 15-255) i i 9Claims.

This invention relates to Window cleaners, and an 'improvement incleaners of 4the general type used for cleaning the Windshields or otherwindows of motor vehicles.

According to the present invention plural wipers are caused to traversethe same surface of thewindow, preferably over the primary eld of visionthrough such window, moving in differentl paths, to effect an improvedcleaning action. Streaks orv 'ridges of foreign matter left on thewindshield in the wake of one wiper are `dispersed and the mattercarried away by another wiper which moves angularly to the path ofVmotion of the first wiper.

The invention further contemplates means for operating such wipers insuch manner that there will be no interference between them althoughthey traverse the same surface, and also means for arresting the motionof both wipers out of .the primary eld of Vision` through the window.

These and other objects and advantagesl will appear from the vfollowingdescription of the vtypical embodiments of the invention shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is an elevational view of a window strucyture provided with apair of suction operated cleaners, embodying the invention;

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views of 'the motors of the twocleaners shown in Fig. 1, veach gure showing the motors in a differentphase of operation;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a window struc- 'ture provided with apair of mechanically driven wipers, the system embodying the invention;

f Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view illustrating parts of theoperating assembly shown inr Fig. 6; and i Fig, 8 is a fragmentaryhorizontal sectional `view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Mounted adjacent the upper edge of Window l l is a wiper shaft I2carrying a wiper arm I3 and wiper blade I4, the latter being movableupon angular oscillation of the shaft l2 in an arcuate -path upon thesurface of the window between lines A and B, from a substantiallyhorizontal a valve seat position to the right of shaft I2 to asubstantially horizontal position to the left of shaft I2, and The shaftmay be supported by any suitable means (not shown) and may be driven amotor l5 through anysuitable drive. In the drive shaft l1 of the motorand the shaft I2, constitutes the drive for the latter.

A similar, but inverted, mechanism is mounted .adjacent the lower edgeof the window, com- .therein which is secured prising wiper shaft 22,Wiper armf23, Wiper blade 24, motor 25 with drive shaft 21 and chaindrive 25. The wiper 24 upon angular oscillation of wiper shaft'22 bymotor 25 will move from/a horizontal position to the lleft of shaft 22'tora horizontal position to the right thereof, upon the surface-ofwindow Il in an arcuate path indicated by lines C' and D. f

Each motor, i5 and 25, is operated by suction and has'an automatic valveuaction (operated by the motor by any suitable mechanism, not illustrated herein) for controllingoperation of the other motor, and for suchoperation there isp'rovided a conduit 28 extending to a suitable sourceof suction, such as the intake of an4 internal combustion engine,conduit 28 having branches 29 an'd Si extending to motors l5 and 25're'- spectively, and conduits 32, 33, 34 and 35 extending between themotors.

Motor i5 has a vane type piston 36 movablev in `the motor chamberthereof about the axis of drive shaft i1 to which it is secured, and theautomatic valve action of the motor includes a valve 31 movable on valveseat 3.8, assuming the position shown in Fig'. 2 When vane 36 is movedtoits terminal voperating position to the left; 'and assuming theposition shown in Fig. 4 when the vane is moved to its, terminaloperating position toY the right. Valve 31' always covers a port, invalve seat 3E, which communicates 'with the A'brar'lch suction conduit29, and when in the posivwith conduit 29.

Gonduit 33 opens into the operating chamber of motor 2,5 on therrightside of vane piston 3 9 to motor shaft 21, and conduit E4-opens into thechamber on the left side. of vane 39. y

, Motor ZE-hasr an automatic valve 4l movable on e2 which places conduit32 incommunication with suction conduit branch 3l and opens conduit 35to the atmosphere when vane 39H reaches its terminal position to thekright, shown in Fig. 2, and when the vanev reaches its terminal positionto the left, shown in Fig. 4, the valve opens conduit 32 to theatmosphere and places conduit 35 in fluid communication with suctionconduit branch 3l.

Conduit 32 opens into the operating chamber of motor I5 to the left ofvane 36, and conduit 35 into the chamber to the right of the vane,

During operation, which may be started or stopped by a control valve 43in conduit 28, starting with the position shown in Fig. 2, atmosphericair will be present on the right face of vane 36 (via conduit 35) andsuction on the left face of vane 36 (via conduit 32, valve 4I andconduits 3| and 28) so that the vane of motor I5 will for the time beingbe held in the terminal position shown in Fig. 2. Motor 25 will operatevane 39 moving to the left to the position shown in Fig. 3, sinceatmospheric air will press against its right face (entering the motorvia conduit 33) and suction will be exerted on its left face (viaconduit 34, valve 31 and conduits 29 and 28) When the terminal positionshown in Fig. 3 is reached by vane 39, valve 4I will move to theposition there shown, so that motor I5 (moving from the position of Fig.3 to that of Fig. 4) will n'ow operate by reason of the reversal ofatmospheric pressure and suction to opposite faces of vane 36. Motor 25will remain inoperative during this action of motor I5 until the latterreaches the condition shown in Fig. 4, when valve 31 will move to theleft, reversing the suction and atmospheric connections to motor 25 andcausing its vane 39 to move from the position shown in Fig. 4 to thatshown in Fig. 5. C'onsequent reversal of valve 4I will result inmovement to the right of the vane 36 of motor I5 bringing the parts tothe initial position shown in Fig. 2.

It will thus be understood that motors I5 and 25 will operate at thesame frequency, but in te out of phase relation, one moving while theother is in a terminal position and stationary, thereby preventinginterference of wipers I4 and 24, a1- though the latter are caused totraverse the same surface of the window (bounded .by lines 'A and C),moving in different and angularly related paths.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, atransmission unit 45 having a wiper shaft 46 is mounted adjacent theupper edge of window 41, for oscillating a wiper arm l48 and wiper blade49 in an arcuate path over the surface of the window. Mounted adjacentthe lower edge of the window is a transmission unit 5I having a wipershaft 52 for oscillating a Wiper arm 53 and wiper blade 54. Both wiperstraverse the primary field of vision of the Window, but wiper 54 movesahead of wiper 49 sufficiently so that they do not interfere with eachother.

Transmission unit 5I, shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8, includes acasing 55 journalling wiper shaft 52, a rock shaft 56, and a rotatingshaft 51. The latter Carries a wobble plate 58 engaged by a yoke 59mounted on rock shaft 56, the yoke having lugs 6I meshing with a chain62 which also meshes with lugs 63 extended from wiper shaft 52. Theparts preferably are so related ythat one revolution of shaft 51 andwobble plate 58 will result in one complete oscillation of wiper i .54,from a horizontal position on one side of shaft 52 to a horizontalposition on the opposite side of the shaft and return. Shaft 51 isconnected for rotation to a flexible drive shaft 64 which extendsthrough a housing cable 65 to one member 66 of a clutch, the othermember 61 of the clutch being rotated by an engine or other suitableldrive means. A housing 68 around the clutch contains a spring 69 whichurges clutch member 66 into engagement with member 61.

A groove 1I in shaft 51 receives an eccentric pin 12 extended from acontrol shaft 13 (Fig. 8) which carries a handle 14. Rotation of shaft13 through one half turn will shift shaft 51 to the right, pulling theflexible drive shaft 64 sufficiently to disengage the clutch 66, 61against the resistance of spring 69, thereby stopping the mechanism.Reverse rotation of shaft 13 will, of course, cause operation of themechanism. In either operating or stopped position the shaft 13 isreleasably held by a spring pressed detent 15 which is engageable inrecesses 16 formed in the shaft.

In order to insure the mechanism stopping with the wiper in apredetermined position the rotating shaft 51 is provided with a stop 11engageable with a recess 18 formed in a shoulder within casing 55. Inthis way movement of shaft 51 to the right is permitted only at theinstant that the stop 11 is aligned with the recess 18, at which timethe wiper arm 53 will be in approximately the position shown in Fig. 7.

Movement of the shaft 51 to the right, into stopped position, willresult in shifting of wobble plate 58, causing arm 53 to move from theposition shown to the dotted line position wherein it is substantiallyhorizontal and out of the field of vision through the window.

Splined to the right end of shaft 51 is a member 19 secured for rotationto a flexible drive shaft 8| extending through a housing cable 82 totransmission unit 45 at the top of the window, the shaft 6I operatingthe wiper shaft 46 through mechanism of substantially the same kind asthat employed to operate wiper shaft 46, except that the wobble plate intransmission 45 is not shiftable axially, since it is so related toplate 58 that arm 48 is substantially horizontal,

vin a terminal position, when arm 53 is in the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 7.

Due to this relationship, the lower wiper will always lead the upperwiper (or the reverse, if desired) so that although both traverse thesame principal field of vision of the windshield, moving in angularlyrelated paths, they will not interfere; and by the means disclosed theWipers, although mechanically driven from a common drive in out of phaserelationship, will, when stopped, both be out of the eld of vision.

We claim:

l. In combination with a window, a wiper shaft adjacent one edge of thewindow, a second wiper shaft adjacent another edge of the window, wipersupon said shafts movable upon angular oscillation of the shafts over acommon surface portion of the window constituting a primary iield ofvision through said window, motor operated means for oscillating thefirst wiper shaft, motor operated means for oscillating the second wipershaft, and means relating the last two mentioned means for causing saidmeans to oscillate the shafts at the same frequency and in out-of-phaserelation to each other to avoid interference of the wipers upon saidcommon surface portion of the window.

2. In combination with a window, a wiper shaft adjacent one edge portionof the window, a second Wiper shaftadjacent another edge of the window,wipers upon said shafts movable upon angular oscillation of the shaftsover a common surfaceV portion of the window, a fluid pressure motor foroscillating the first wiper shaft, another fluid pressure vmotor foroscillating the second wiper shaft, and means relating said motors forcausing them to oscillate the shafts in out-of-phase relation to eachother to avoid interference of the wipers upon said common surfaceportion.

3. In combination with a window and a power operated cleaner therefor, afirst wiper movable in an arcuate path upon the surface of the window,the axis of motion being adjacent an edge portion of the window, asecond wiper movable upon said surface in an arcuate path substantiallyangularly to and intersecting the first mentioned arcuate path and theaxis of motion of the second wiper being adjacent a substantiallyopposing edge portion of the window, power operated means foroscillating the first wiper in said arcuate path, power operated meansfor oscillating the second wiper in said arcuate path, and meansrelating said power operated means for causing them to oscillate thewipers at the same frequency and in out-of-phase relation to each other.

4. In combination with a window, a wiper shaft adjacent one edge of thewindow, a second wiper shaft adjacent another edge of the window,

wipers upon said shafts movable over a common surface portion of thewindow upon angular oscillation of the shafts, power operated means foroscillating one of said shafts, power operated means for oscillating theother of said shafts, and means relating said power operated means forcausing one of the power operated means to move one shaft while theother shaft is in a terminal position to thereby avoid interference ofthe wipers.

5. In combination with a window, a wiper shaft adjacent one edge of thewindow, a second wiper shaft adjacent another edge of the window, wipersupon said shafts movable upon angular oscillation of the shafts over acommon surface portion of the window, and a suction motor for angularlyoscillating each of said shafts, each of said motors having valve meansoperated thereby for controlling the other motor whereby one motor willbe in a terminal position while the other motor operates.

6. In combination with a window, a wiper shaft adjacent one edge of thewindow, a second wiper shaft adjacent another edge of the window, wipersupon said shafts movable upon angular oscillation of the shafts over acommon surface portion of the window, a common drive for said shafts foroscillating them in out-of-phase relation with one another at the samefrequency, and means for stopping said drive when one of the shafts isin a terminal position and for simultaneously shifting the other shaftrelative to the drive to bring said other shaft into a terminalposition.

'7. In a window cleaner, a pair of wiper shafts adapted by angularoscillation, a common drive for said shafts for angularly oscillatingthem in out-of-phase relation at the same frequency, and means forstopping said drive and substantially simultaneously angularly movingone of said shafts relative to the drive and to the other shaft.

8. In a window cleaner, a pair of wiper shafts, drive means forangularly oscillating said shafts in out-of-phase relation at the samefrequency, and means for stopping said oscillation of said shafts andfor moving one of the shafts angularly relative to the other shaft.

9. In a window cleaner, a pair of wiper shafts, drive means forangularly oscillating said shafts in out-of-phase relation at the samefrequency, and means for stopping said oscillation of the shafts whenone of them is in a terminal position and moving the other shaftangularly to a terminal position.

ERWIN C. HORTON. RAYMON E. ROUSSEAU.

